The University of Washington (UW) is proud to be one of the nation’s premier educational and research institutions. Our people are the most important asset in our pursuit of achieving excellence in education, research, and community service. Our staff not only enjoys outstanding benefits and professional growth opportunities, but also an environment noted for diversity, community involvement, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits, and natural beauty.

The College of the Environment has an outstanding opportunity for two Teaching Assistants for C ENV 110 “Introduction to Food and the Environment” for Autumn Quarter 2014, 9/16/2014 to 12/15/2014. This is an introductory course offered by the College of the Environment to support environmental literacy for students across campus.

This course will use food production and consumption as an introduction to many of the elements of environmental science including nutrient cycles, population growth, food webs, water supply and demand, impact of exploitation on natural populations, land transformation, energy consumption and its impact on climate. Food is produced in a variety of ways; crops are grown, animals are fed on crops and or grazed, fish are caught in the ocean and fresh water, and fish are raised in aquaculture. Each method of food production impacts the environment in many ways through transformation of habitats, consumption of energy and release of CO2, pollution of waterways, soil erosion, and reduction in biodiversity. Understanding how food production affects and shapes the environment can help us make choices about what kinds of food we eat, but also can provide a window for learning about the basics of environmental science.

TA Responsibilities: The TA will be responsible for approximately 20 hours of work per week related to the course. The primary duties of the TA will be: grading homework and exams and leading three discussion sections. There will be additional course-specific duties as required by the instructor, which may include helping managing electronic resources, meeting with students, and creating formally or informally a positive learning environment for students.

Requirements:

-Academic standing as a UW Graduate Student

-Eligibility to hold a Graduate Student Assistantship

-Strong background in fundamentals of environmental science

-Background or interest in food systems, agriculture and food production, or other topics related to food and the environment

-Previous teaching (TA) experience.

-Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills

Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.

Desired:

– Candidates with environmental science background preferred, but candidates from any discipline may apply.

Applicants should submit: (1) Current CV/resume; (2) Two references (name, title, phone, email) familiar with your teaching abilities; (3) Cover Letter, no more than 2 pages worth of text, stating what strengths you would bring to serving as a teaching assistant in an interdisciplinary, introductory environmental science course, as well as your strengths and background relevant to the specific activities outlined in the position and course description.

Application Timeline: Application review begins immediately. Applications will be reviewed as they are received. For priority consideration, apply by March 3, 2014. Notification by April 4, 2014. dso.